'Professional Insight'

The Hon Mr Justice Ouseley will present this year's keynote address

The words are equally simple and are being used in more and more disciplinary matters.

Daily as we listen to the news broadcasts floating from one disaster to the next we marvel over the insensitivity of those making pronouncements especially when they themselves appear to at least share culpability. Is it insensivity or lack of insight that we are witnessing?

'Insight' and 'professional insight' are words that we are beginning to become accustomed to seeing in the disciplinary world. To what extent are they current jargon or do they really draw us to an important principle?

‘Failed to show Insight’ is so easy to say but what does it really mean? The dictionary definition of ‘insight’ is: ‘The ability to see and understand the truth about someone or something’.This is followed by an interesting bevy of synonyms from ‘acumen’ to ‘shrewdness’ to ‘wisdom’.... does the word have a different meaning when it has the prefix ‘Professional’?

If there is an allegation of failing to show Insight does the Member automatically prove the charge by pleading ‘not guilty’?